Kulibayev Tournament – Finals

08 July, 2015

Uzbekistan won the medal standings in Atyrau
The finals were held at the Kulibayev Tournament in Atyrau, Kazakhstan where besides to the host nation, Uzbekistan, Mongolia and Kyrgyzstan secured gold medals. Uzbekistan won the team rankings in the event in Atyrau which competition was a preparation one before the ASBC Asian Confederation Continental Championships which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand in the end of August.

Light Flyweight class (49 kg):

Kyrgyzstan’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Turat Osmonov eliminated Ukraine’s Nazar Kurotchin in the semi-final and advanced to the final of the Kulibayev Tournament. Osmonov should have been meeting for the gold medal with Mongolia’s Bocskai Memorial Tournament silver medallist Gankhuyag Ganerdene but he could not fight due his injury. Kyrgyzstan’s another top boxer in the weight class two-time National Champion young hope Rakhmankul Avatov who won the Taimanov & Utemisov Memorial Tournament in Atyrau in April, claimed a bronze medal this time.

Flyweight class (52 kg):

Uzbekistan’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Shakhobiddin Zoirov is one of the best Asian Flyweight class (52 kg) boxer who proved his excellent technique once again in the final of the Kulibayev Tournament. He had a difficult opponent Kazakhstan’s Olzhas Bayniyazov but his preparation level was enough to beat the host nation’s boxer by unanimous decision in Atyrau. Kyrgyzstan’s current ASBC Asian Continental Champion Azat Usenaliyev and Kazakhstan’s Taimanov & Utemisov Memorial Tournament winner Rashid Salauatov secured only bronze medals this time in Atyrau.

Bantamweight class (56 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Asylbek Uzakbayev is not a well-known boxer in the Asian continent but he proved top performance and excellent fighting spirit in the Kulibayev Tournament. The host nation’s young hope had to meet for the gold with Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Continental Championships bronze medallist Omurbek Malabekov who is member of the Ukraine Otamans WSB franchise. Following some great actions in the second round the referee stopped the bout and Uzakbayev’s hand was raised which was a small surprise in Atyrau.

Lightweight class (60 kg):

Mongolia’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai won the 2014 ASBC Discovery of the Year trophy and after that background he was able to show his skills again. The Mongolian boxer eliminated Tajikistan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Anvar Yunusov in the semi-final which bout was one of his most difficult one this year. Otgondalai was a bit tired against Kyrgyzstan’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games competitor Akzhol Sulaymanbek Uulu but finally his punches were effective and secured a title in the tournament which was the second Mongolian gold in Atyrau.

Light Welterweight class (64 kg):

Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Continental Championships bronze medallist Ermek Sakenov proved top performance in the current year and he was the main favourite for the gold in Atyrau as well. The 28-year-old Kyrgyz boxer fought for the gold medal with Syria’s ASBC Asian Youth Continental Championships silver medallist Ahmad Ghossoun. Sakenov was enough experienced and quick to beat the 19-year-old Syrian and continued his amazing winning path in 2015. Mongolia’s Military World Champion strong Battarsukh Chinzorig claimed only a bronze medal in the Kulibayev Tournament following his loss to Sakenov in the last four.

Welterweight class (69 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Taimanov & Utemisov Memorial Tournament winner Amandyk Manashev could not repeat his previous performance in the gold medal bout against Uzbekistan’s Odil Aslonov and secured only a silver medal on home soil. The Uzbek boxer is not an experienced one in the international level but his technique and tactical skills were enough to get the gold medal in Atyrau. Syria’s multiple National Champion veteran Abdelmouen Aziz and Ukraine’s Serhiy Bohachuk were the bronze medallists in the event.

Middleweight class (75 kg):

Uzbekistan’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist and the AIBA Youth World Championships winner Bektemir Melikuziyev is one of the biggest talent in the whole continent and the 19-year-old boxer proved his amazing strength in Atyrau. The Uzbek teenager won all of the rounds against Russia’s U22 National Championships silver medallist Vladislav Fedyurin and kept his unbeaten series in 2015.

Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Abzal Kuttybekov moved up to the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) this year and delivered a small surprise in the final of the category. He needed only 54 seconds to stop Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Continental Champion Shukhrat Abdullayev who also moved up to the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) some months ago. Abdullayev eliminated AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Elshod Rasulov of Uzbekistan in the semi-finals but his efforts were not enough to get the title in Atyrau.

Heavyweight class (91 kg):

Kyrgyzstan’s Shopokov Memorial Tournament gold medallist and Nurmagambetov Tournament winner Chyngyz Borbashev eliminated his main rival Jordan’s ASBC Asian Continental Championships silver medallist Ihab Darweish Al-Matbouli in the semi-finals in Atyrau. Following that superb performance the 29-year-old Kyrgyz boxer shocked Syria’s Alaaldin Ghossoun who defeated Ukraine’s Rostyslav Arkhipenko in the semi-final. Borbashev had lethal punches in the opening round and finally knocked out his Syrian rival.

Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg):

Uzbekistan’s two-time Asian Games competitor Mirzohidjon Abdullayev walked over to the final of the Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg) therefore he was more fresh than his opponent Jordan’s ASBC Asian Youth Continental Championships bronze medallist 20-year-old Hussein Iashaish who had a big battle against an Ukrainian boxer. Abdullayev controlled the bout, worked from longer distance and sometimes he changed his tactic which was too difficult for Jordan’s talented youngster.

Winners in Atyrau

49 kg: Gankhuyag Ganerdene, Mongolia

52 kg: Shakhobiddin Zoirov, Uzbekistan

56 kg: Asylbek Uzakbayev, Kazakhstan

60 kg: Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai, Mongolia

64 kg: Ermek Sakenov, Kyrgyzstan

69 kg: Odil Aslonov, Uzbekistan

75 kg: Bektemir Melikuziev, Uzbekistan

81 kg: Abzal Kuttybekov, Kazakhstan

91 kg: Chyngyz Borbashev, Kyrgyzstan

+91 kg: Mirzohidjon Abdullayev, Uzbekistan